Does the Holocaust Still Matter?

Crucial lessons for humanity to remember always.

One rule of thumb by which to measure the significance of the Holocaust is that it clearly matters to the enemies of the Jewish people – so much so that many would like to blot out its memory entirely.

They are impatient with us: Why do you Jews dwell on the Holocaust? Why not forget it and go forward? The very same mindset that was not disturbed while six million were butchered now resents our remembering those same six million. Forget about it, they say, and move on. What good does it do to keep remembering it?

There are a number of reasons for these attempts to blot out and even to deny the Holocaust:

Its memory gives spiritual strength to the Jewish people.

It undergirds the existence of the State of Israel.

It creates sympathy for the Jewish people.

It makes heroes of the Jewish people who were able to live through such tragedy and not only survive but flourish.

Because the deniers refuse to face the dark potential that lies within mankind and within themselves.

And, perhaps primarily, because once the Holocaust is forgotten, their own complicity in it – at the very least by their silent acquiescence – will also be forgotten, and they will feel exonerated.

But the Holocaust matters very much because of the many lessons that are derived from this black period in history.

Man is not born good. He becomes good by learning there is another beside him and an Other above him.

Among these lessons is the fact that evil and unwarranted hatred are a reality that exists in our world. The human being has an infinite capacity for evil that, left unchecked, can destroy the world. The view that goodness is a built-in and natural quality in mankind is not only Pollyannaish, it is dangerous and untrue.

The Torah itself tells us that the "impulse of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Gen 8:21). Man is not born good. He has to become good – by forging his character, by bending his baser instincts, by learning that there is another beside him and an Other above him.

The Holocaust shows what can become of human beings when they permit the beast within them to control them.

It teaches us that we must be alert to the existence of evil, both in others and in our own selves. Once we are aware of its reality, we can work to uproot it. The mitzvot of the Torah are designed to help the spiritual qualities within us dominate the beast within.

Further, we learn from this tragedy that to be silent in the face of evil is to acquiesce in it, encourage it, and help it grow strong. History teaches us that evil triumphs when good people remain silent. But when good people rise up against evil, evil will ultimately perish and the good will prevail.

Never doubt the evil intentions of tyrants.

By appeasing Nazi Germany in the 1930's, by turning a blind eye toward its policies of discrimination, hatred, and ultimately the wholesale murder of Jews, the so-called free world encouraged the Nazis to continue their evil ways – with the result that not only were six million Jews brutally killed, but countless others destroyed, and untold human suffering engendered. We made the mistake of not believing what they were saying. Early on, they stated precisely what their plans were. The world should not have been surprised.

One should never doubt the evil intentions of tyrants. Today, when we hear talk about destroying Israel and driving her people into the sea, it would be folly to discount it.

From the Holocaust we also learn that evil, hatred, and anti-Semitism are not always the result of ignorance, but that even a highly educated, cultured, and sophisticated society can fall under the sway of evil. Germany was a leader in science, art, education, literature, philosophy, music – but none of this cultural superiority was a guarantee against the cruelty and bestiality that marked its behavior. The guards at Auschwitz listened to Bach while their victims were gassed to death.

The Holocaust underscores a curious fact: whenever we find great evil in the world, it is invariably directed against the Jewish people. The worst tyrants in history have one goal in common: to destroy the Jews. Stalin and Hitler of the last century are only the most recent entries in the endless exhibition of virulent anti-Jewishness. Somehow, the enemies of freedom, peace, love, goodness, and morality have also been the enemies of the Jews.

Why do tyrants unleash their fury against the Jews? Because there is within Judaism a certain sense of sanctity and Godliness whose very existence is a challenge to the very essence of tyranny. Hatred of the Jew is actually hatred of God and the morality, ethics and self-discipline that He – through the Torah – has tried to introduce into the world.

A people is judged not by its friends but by its enemies. Though it is most painful, the Jews bear the enmity of the world's tyrants with pride and courage. For this enmity only demonstrates that the Jew represents a different scale of values in the universe, and constitutes a formidable challenge to the dominion of evil.

Thus the Holocaust matters very much. Remembering it not only honors the martyrs who fell in the cause of the Jewish people, it also underscores the awareness that despite its ravages, we still flourish as a dynamic people. And this fortifies us and strengthens our faith in God's promises about the eternity of the Jewish people.

Memory is an integral aspect of being alive, the glue of one's self-identity. Memory is also an integral element in the life of a people, for a people that forgets its past has no future.

How much more so is this true of the Jews, who for most of history had no land, no flag, no armies, no protection. We had only our Torah, our God – and our national memory.

Because the Jews are a people that remembers, we never forgot our origins. "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand fail..." says King David (Psalms 137:5). We never forgot Jerusalem, we never forgot our history. Had we forgotten, we would long ago have ceased to exist as a people. Wherever we wandered in our exile, our prayers have been directed towards Jerusalem. We do not forget, and even at the moments of our greatest joy – at our weddings – we shatter a glass to remind ourselves that as long as our Temple is not rebuilt and restored, our happiness is incomplete.

Even today, when we approach the remaining vestige of our ancient Temple, we rend our garments like those in mourning. And we have special days of fasting to mark the various stages of Jerusalem's destruction – not because we wish to dwell on our past sadness, but because we know what happens when a people forgets its past. It is the Jewish national memory that partially explains the mysterious survival of our people despite all odds against it. That memory is an integral part of Jewish existence is seen by the frequency of its use in the Bible. The term zikaron, "remembrance", appears over 20 times in the Five Books of Moses, and there are over 300 variations of the term zachor, "remember," in the Bible.

The Holocaust reminds us of certain truths that, if forgotten, can destroy civilization.

So vital is it not to forget evil, that of the many commandments dealing with remembering, one of the most emphatic is the requirement to remember the tribe of Amalek who tried to destroy Israel in its wanderings in the Wilderness.

Why is it so crucial not to forget Amalek and to blot out its memory? Because Amalek represents the epitome of evil, the force that seeks to destroy every vestige of God in the universe, including the carriers of God's teachings, the Jewish people. We are bidden never to forget this and to battle against it in every generation (Exod. 17: 14-16; Deut. 25:17). The spirit of Amalek still lives, and it was certainly its spirit that gave strength to the perpetrators of the Holocaust.

The Holocaust reminds us of certain truths that, if forgotten, can destroy civilization. And it reminds Jews that the purpose of the Torah is to change man from a beast and transform him into a human being, and that only in connecting with God can evil be pre-empted in the world.

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About the Author

Rabbi Emanuel Feldman is Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Jacob where he was Rabbi from 1952 until 1991. For thirteen years he was the editor of Tradition Magazine, the scholarly quarterly published by the Rabbinical Council of America. He is a former Vice President of the Rabbinical Council of America where he also served as Vice President of its Beis Din (Rabbinical Court).

Ordained by Baltimore’s Ner Israel Rabbinical College, he holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. from Emory University. Rabbi Emanuel Feldman served as Adjunct Professor of Jewish Law at Emory University School of Law, and as Senior Lecturer at Bar Ilan University in Israel.

He has written nine books and over 100 published articles in magazines and newspapers such as Saturday Review, The New Republic, The Jerusalem Post and numerous Anglo-Jewish periodicals here and abroad.

Since his formal retirement from the active pulpit in 1991, Rabbi Emanuel Feldman has been dividing his time between the United States and Jerusalem. In Jerusalem he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Rashi Translation Project of Jerusalem’s Ariel Research Institute, which has recently published The Ariel Chumash. Presently, he is on the editorial staff of the Encyclopedia of Mitzvot.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 69

(66)
Sientje Seinen,
November 18, 2013 8:14 AM

lest we forget

No we should always keep the holocaust in remembrance to know that the heart of mankind is deceptively evil, when one forgets who his Creator is or does not harken to His Word and the blessings He bestows upon us and no longer give thanks but insist on our own ways and walk in our own wisdom

(65)
ellen,
February 8, 2013 8:59 PM

When I first found your web site, after browsing threw it,my reaction was this is great. Jews are connected & still spread out all over the world, so there can never be another Holocaust, This could also be the beginning of the third Temple. A central Jewish information center. Give yourself a pat on the back.

(64)
Anonymous,
May 1, 2012 5:15 PM

Moving on...

I agree the holocaust was an atrocity, but it needs to stop being a reason to gain sympathy. This article basically says people don't want to believe in the holocaust because they don't want to think positively for the Jewish. That is false. Genocides still occur on large scales, not as large as the holocaust but still. We shouldn't dwell in the past and learn from our mistakes and actually use the experience we gained from the holocaust to stop the genocides today.

(63)
Steve Crotzer,
April 29, 2012 1:29 AM

Holocaust as a political weapon

It appears to me that the Holocaust is used as a political weapon. Just do a quick internet search on "antisemitism" and "Holocaust" as political weapons. Lots of people think this. Many people think that "holocaust/antisemitism" is thrown around rather capriciously to somehow explain any human rights violation perpetrated by Israel.
You may disagree with me, but you should acknowledge that many people are coming to think that American Jews and Israelis are using "Holocaust/antisemitism" as a political cudgel. You're crying wolf. These terms are loosing their punch. Think about it.

(62)
H.E.Brown,
April 22, 2012 1:31 AM

The Holocaust.

Yes it matters. Because it could happen again.
God forbid!

(61)
N Martinez,
April 19, 2012 12:14 AM

Man is born good!

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’…God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.
To be made in the image of God means that, above all else, that you and I are made with the capacity to love.Because we’re made in His image, we can know Him, love Him and share in His love (accepting His love is a huge part of this).
In addition, we are like God in that we have an intellect. We are “rational beings” even though we don’t always act rationally. We have free will, even though we often exercise our will for self (pride) rather than God. Also, in the way that we can participate in creation (procreation), work and rest and having dominion (over all living things), we are “like” God. We possess the dignity of God’s image, and we reflect His wisdom, His goodness and His love.
That is my ONLY dissent. Otherwise, I say to the Dear Rabbi....AMEN....

(60)
Sarah,
April 18, 2012 7:39 PM

Again, here?

I have noticed the escalation of generally harassing behavior in several areas of our society. Perhaps they are unrelated but probably not. They slowly condition the population to submission. What would have elicited a huge public outcry fifty years ago in the US is now met with a general shoulder shrug. To have a full body scan and then have to submit to a full pat-down just to enter an airplane is one example. The key word is submit. The German people submitted to more and more invasion of human rights until there was no way to survive if they protested. Then they watched in general silence as their neighbors were killed. Be aware that when law is set aside, tyranny is soon to follow. It can happen here in the US.

(59)
SMan,
April 3, 2012 7:52 PM

Human...

Many Nazis were not human. To be human, one has to have the ability to empathize. Hitler did not have this emotion and many of his henchmen didn't have it either. You have to understand that Hitler and his croonies were of criminal mind. Hitler said he did what he did for the great Fatherland. Nonsense, they all did it for themselves, the greed, the power, etc. All you have to do is read a few of Hitler's speeches and you will soon realize this guy was not playing with a full deck.

(58)
Brianna,
January 8, 2012 4:53 AM

Is that a rhetorical question?

It will always matter to me what happened, and I will never forget so never again will it happen. While I am not Jewish, I have looked closely at the happenings of the Holocaust and I still do not understand how people can commit such atrocities towards others, no matter the religion or differences. I will become a history teacher and an ethics teacher to show others what has happened so generations can continue to remember.

(57)
Shelly,
November 22, 2010 3:19 PM

NEVER AGAIN!

The Shoah has always been real to me. During Yom Kippur I sat by a Holocaust survivor. Holding her hand, hugging her, and kissing her made what happened even more real to me. Knowing that she was fighter (even now) encourages me. She knows that I am a convert and having her in my life has made my journey in Judaism deeper than I could ever imagine. NEVER AGAIN!

(56)
RUTH WHITCOMB,
June 26, 2010 11:00 PM

NEVER FORGET

This crime against humanity,should never be forgotten. I am not a Jew and I weep for the unthinkable atrocities that were committed . I believe that God still weeps for them too.

(55)
Zevi,
April 14, 2010 3:31 PM

Of course it still, and will forever matter!

To us Jews (and forget about religion, chosen people, etc., for now) -- we MUST ALWAYS remember that there are people/groups/regimes out there that want us extinct, and given the power and opportunity -- they will make good on those bad intentions! The second thing we must remember, which is a direct derivative of the above: count on NOBODY BUT OURSELVES. G-d helps those who help themselves. Talk is cheap, and at the moment of truth -- the world will not save us. The world may get angry and avenge our destruction, but it will be too late for us. So we MUST take seriously threats against our existence, and take the appropriate defensive measures.
The WORLD MUST remember the holocaust, because such devastation can happen to ANY ethnic or other race. Use the Jewish holocaust lesson to develop zero tolerance for racism.

Sarah,
April 18, 2012 6:43 PM

not alone

As I read your comment I wonder if you are familiar with the Jewish organization The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous which identifies and helps support non-Jews who risked their lives and the lives of their families to save Jews, many whom they did not know. Yes, there were few, just as there are few today who stand up to protect the innocents being killed. But there were some. Zero tolerance for racism begins by not tolerating a “them verses us” mindset.

(54)
Anonymous,
April 14, 2010 9:01 AM

To 33 and 34
Please read carefully. I don't think Rabbi Feldman said man was born evil. He said that man was not born as good. There is a difference. I agree that man being born inherintely evil (in sin) is a Christian and not a Jewish belief. The Jewish position is that man was born "pareve", neither evil or good, and has the capacity to develop one way or the other

(53)
Nadine,
April 12, 2010 6:09 PM

Does the Holocaust still matter?

YES!!!! It will matter always because the Jewish people are the Chosen of the Most High. The Holocaust is a lesson and a warning to us: this is what happens when people stand by and do nothing to help their neighbors. NEVER AGAIN!!!!

(52)
Gedalia,
April 12, 2010 10:25 AM

to33 and 34

I don't thiink that Rabbi Feldman was saying man is born evil, just that he was not born good. There is a difference. Born evil (original sin) is a Christian and not a Jewish concept. However Judaism holds we are born pareve, neither good or evil with the capacity to develop ourselves either way.

(51)
Anonymous,
April 11, 2010 4:57 PM

remembering

Your words of "Never Forget" are words that should always be spoken. Every life is a gift from God and to not remember is an insult to God's gift. I will never forget and I am not a Jew. Remeber always to sanctify those deaths

(50)
Dr. Michael Zidonov,
April 11, 2010 3:15 PM

HOLOCAUST DENIERS ARE LIARS

We are Commanded by Ha'Shem NOT EVER to forget, and to teach the Children, that they not only never forget but that it does not happen again ... If we fail, if we forget and the Holocaust happens again ... it will be our very own fault ... what then shall we say to the Children ??? What then shall we Answer to G_D ???

(49)
Maz,
February 3, 2010 10:51 AM

This is what we need
I am not Jewish but I completely agree with all that the rabbi has said. If we do not teach ourselves to respect others, if we do not recognise the fact that we are all born equal, we are all under one god, that none is superior to the other, that only god is the judge and that we cannot judge anyone as we ourselves will be judged for our deeds by the one god then we will never change.

(48)
anonymous,
February 3, 2010 10:50 AM

It can happen again

words cannot describe the sadness felt when i read about the holocaust. we must all remember and prepare and prevent these movements...there are places inside the u.s. now that are ready to operate in the same manner. everyone should use google...search for it...and you'll find camps here. who are they for? why are they here in the u.

(47)
anonymous,
February 3, 2010 10:50 AM

very well said

i want to thank you so much for this article i just want to mention one thing the reason we had a halocaust in the first place is because we assimilated and drifted away from yiddishkiet from Hashem and i think that if we dont do teshuva fast another one can happen as u said history repeats itself the point is that even look at today its repeating itself over and over

(46)
anonymous,
February 3, 2010 10:49 AM

well said!

this is very well said and so beautiful i agree that the holocaust still matters because it shows that just because we are different doesnt mean that we shouldnt be treated different. AND HITLER WAS A TYRANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND HE WENT MENTALLY INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!

(45)
Kip Gonzales,
February 3, 2010 10:48 AM

Fantastic article!
So well said!! This is precisely what needs to be heard in a secular, humanistic world that wants to push away all unpleasant historical memories. People are basically sinful and selfish, and lean toward evil. Only a reconciliation with G_d will remedy this. The last paragraph of the article is precisely what I have told my listeners after conducting tours through former concentration camps. Shalom, and ZACHOR !

(44)
Kathy,
February 3, 2010 10:46 AM

If we don't learn from the past we are doomed to repeat it. Yes it still matters! It is a necessary reminder to us all, man's inhumanity to man.

(43)
Simon,
February 3, 2010 10:46 AM

If the righteous shut up evil prevails.

"..and that only in connecting with God can evil be pre-empted in the world.
We forget it at our peril"
Above all else let the Holocaust remind us of the God we subscribe to and His requirements which truly "observed" will make us head and not tail and all the loving that God promises to be to us, to understand and to know Him because He delights in being kind, just and offers us righteousness in preaching Him. Let us boast in this as His power according to David inspires and sustains those who love Him truly those with a circumcised heart.

(42)
Ekpe Ndyo,
February 3, 2010 10:45 AM

KEEP THE MEMORY AGLOW
Soemtimes, we wish to forget that aspect of our past that brings us shame. Thankfully, we are not computers that can delete forever, any unwanted information.
The process of remembering even those undignifying events enables us to analyse the events to see where we went wrong and then chart a course for our lives so that neither we nor our children will have to pass through the same road.
Please keep the memory alive.
I was born in the 70s, but I have never tired to read or watch movies/documentaries about Hitler's Germany and the perseccution of the Jewish people. The events seem like they happened yesterday.

(41)
Marcel Manson,
February 3, 2010 10:45 AM

Having just returned from Krakow Poland watching the 18th Jewish heritage festival there is at last a deep feeling of shame and understanding amongst the Poles of the tragedy that befell the Jews of Poland. This surprisingly makes today's Poland the most pro Israel and Jewish nation in Europe and should be admired after all Poland was the killing fields of Europe they were not the perpetrators yet twice as many Jews visit Germany than Poland - GO FIGURE - So my point is forget prejudices VISIT POLAND you will be surprised at the welcome Jews get

(40)
emily,
February 3, 2010 10:45 AM

Does the Holocaust Matter?
As a Christian and Catholic I say it matters very much. We are taught we must forgive, but I was once told that we must forgive if ASKED for forgiveness. I would still find it hard. Forgive if you are able, but DON'T EVER FORGET. I will remember for you.

(39)
G.W. Eaves,
February 3, 2010 10:44 AM

the holocuast must never be forgoten!.
it tells of mans inhumanity to man.
why the jewish people where picked on is a mystery to me, no matter what is written

(38)
Laura Adams,
February 3, 2010 10:44 AM

Why so much hatred toward the Jews?
I am a secondary teacher at a Christian School who teaches about the Holocaust and current situation in Israel. I was deeply touched by your article and found it succinct and truthful. I have felt for a long time that the constant struggle against the Jews can only mean one thing. . . . there is only one G-d and he blessed the Jews with the door for all humanity to enter and know their Creator intimately. If anyone doubts look at the miracle of the modern day state of Israel? I pray for Israel and her soldiers daily. May the G-d of your ancestors continue to bless you with strength to be the light of this dark world.

(37)
Elisheva,
February 3, 2010 10:43 AM

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUCH A WELL-WRITTEN ARTICLE. I will dwell on those words for the rest of my life.and will make an all out effort to remember to assume my responsibility in making this world a better place.
You answered in plain language so much which i could not put name to. i really appreciate this soul transforming article and pray that you are blessed with inspiration to continue to write and help us learn to live up to the LIGHT OF TORAH WHICH IS OUR PATRIMONY. WE WE NEVER FORGET IT.

(36)
Anonymous,
April 25, 2006 12:00 AM

" born evil"?

Wonderful article! Very insightful!
Rabbi Feldmans source that man is" born evil" is from the verse "Ki yetzer lev Hadom rah mineurav". This denotes that man is intrinsicaly good but has an evil inclination which must be overcome or at least confined and limited.

(35)
Alan Naftalis,
April 23, 2006 12:00 AM

An other reason to remember

Memory is a theme of our shared Jewish history. In addition to the reasons stated in the article, there is an other equally important reason to remember the Shoah, that we the remanant that survived and rebuilt our people owe it to those who perished to remember them, their stories, their communities. We are the heirs to their collective memory and the only way that their histories will never perish. We have a moral obligation to keep that alive out of respect to their absence.

Anonymous,
April 18, 2012 7:11 PM

Positive memory

Alan thank you for bringing up this very important point. From reading several stories of survivors the strength many had to survive seems to be in part derived from being conscious that they were entrusted to tell the story and keep the memory of those being killed.

(34)
Anonymous,
April 23, 2006 12:00 AM

Born Evil?

Wonderful article, but I too found the rabbi Feldman's statement about man's essence as evil disconcerting. If the soul Hashem breathed into us/is was pure, how then is our essence evil?

(33)
Anonymous,
April 21, 2006 12:00 AM

man is not intrinsically evil

I think Rabbi Feldman makes it seem that man is evil in his essence. This is not a Jewish concept, but is in fact, a Christian idea. Man is inherently a soul which is pure and good, yet he is ruled by a foreign power which was imbedded into his soul from the time of Adam and the Sin. This power is the Evil Impulse. So, Rabbi Feldman is right in that its power is apparent from man's youth as stated in the Torah, but I think it's important to draw the distinction as to what is truly man's essence and what is not.

(32)
Anonymous,
April 21, 2006 12:00 AM

world leaders should read this

The evil leader of Iran fits the pattern described here. He does not confine his evil intentions to us. Has the relatively decent part of the world learned from 20th century history that the barking dog must be assumed to have the intention to bite?
May H" guide the heart and hands of leaders such as President Bush to choose the right course to meet present world threats. May all decent people recognize Who is our Real Protector, and be sheltered under His wings.

(31)
Gary Selikow,
May 23, 2005 12:00 AM

Today's parallels with the holocaust

There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the anti-Israel culture that has taken such fast route in universties across the world ; the anti-Israel demonology of the world's media or the divestment campaigns being waged against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel's very existence.
If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and her people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.

As with the holocaust, the same kind of Jew-haters will again attempt to appease Arab rage with Jewish blood and land. We must stand up against it. Jews are still dying for only one reason; being a Jew.

Just as the Nazis could not have carried out the Shaoh without having poisoned the minds of the people of Germany and much of the rest of Europe against the Jews, anti-Israel propaganda is undertaken with the aim of paving the way for the genocide of the Jews of Israel,

As the Nazis used KAPOS and the Judenrat to help carry out the Shoah , so many of the key anti-Israel propagandists today are born Jewish. The fact of their Jewish birth should not excuse their contribution to the vile propaganda against the Israeli people.

In Schindler's List - one of the images that stands out in my mind from that movie is that of as beautiful Jewish girl child, of about four years of age, in a bright red jacket, which is the only colour plate in the black and white movie. Schindler observes this angelic child making her way through the crowds of Jews who are being herded out the ghetto by the Nazis. We see the little girl hiding under a bed, terrified, and that is the last time we see her, before we see later in the movie, her mangled little body, being wheeled to the crematorium on a trolley, identified by her red jacket.

The story of the little girl in red made me think of another child. A beautiful and vivacious child, who was murdered 60 years later by Arafatian terrorists at Adura in Judea, as she hid terrified under her parent's bed-Danielle Shefi.
In recent years Thousands of Israeli Jewish men, women and children have died from bombs, bullets or knife attacks, and thousands of others have been maimed, blinded, orphaned, widowed and terrorized.

Thousands of Israeli Jewish men, women and children have died from bombs, bullets or knife attacks, and thousands of others have been maimed, blinded, orphaned, widowed and terrorized.

Two years ago on the eve of the Jewish New Year, seven month old Shaked Abraham was shot dead in her crib by an Arab murderer who forced his way into her parent’s house as the family was celebrating the New Year.

A ten-month-old Jewish baby, Shalhevet Pass, was shot in her father’s arms by an Arab sniper in 2001.

The following year, a five-year-old girl, Danielle Shefi, was shot to death at point blank range by an Arab killer, while cowering under her parents’ bed.

That same year, two boys, four- and five-years old, where shot dead together with their mother as she read them a bedtime story, in a left-wing kibbutz, by Arab terrorists.

Over 25% percent of Jewish children living in Israel do not have enough food to eat as a result of the Intifada (war of extermination) waged by Yasser Arafat, along with the economic boycotts initiated by sympathizers of the Palestinian plans of genocide against the Israeli people.

Every decent human on this earth will stand with Israel in her hour of need.

G-D bless the lovely souls of the angels - the little girl in red who died at Auschwitz, and of Danielle Shefi, who died at Adura. . G-D bless the souls of all Jewish children murdered by the enemies of the Jews and of Israel

(30)
Dale Stone,
January 29, 2005 12:00 AM

Thank you Rabbi Feldman

My father's father, one uncle and one sister came to America from Denmark. 100% of those who remained were victims of Hitler. After a certain date, if a living relative did not claim the land of those who died in the war, it reverted to the government. At a certain moment during WWII, my father's Danish family stopped writing. After the war Uncle August and Aunt Hattie returned to inquire about the family and property. Hitler had killed all the family. And because we missed the deadlne to claim the family farm outside of Copenhagen, all the land was also lost.

My mother's family is from Oslo. Her father came to America when he was 21. Many of those who remained in Norway were members of the resistance. Some were caught and tortured.

May we always remember out European loved ones and vow that "never again" will a Hitler be allowed to force his evil will upon a nation, a continent, a world.

With respect and appreciation for Rabbi Feldman's scholarship, I am,

Dale Stone
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Pamela,
March 6, 2013 5:44 PM

Dale, there were many heroes of that war

Including those of your family. Ones lost, those spared the ravages. God bless you for honoring their memory. We cannot forget the past, or we are doomed to repeat it. From one generation to the next we must carry the torch.

(29)
Michael,
January 29, 2005 12:00 AM

FOREVER REMEMBERED.

The good Rabbi said it all. I believe that the victims of WWII shall NEVER be forgotten. May the ALMIGHTY bless the State of Israel and all Jews.

(28)
Marcia,
January 28, 2005 12:00 AM

Not to be forgotten

Dear Rabbi Feldman, no one should or can forget the Holocaust. It has to be handed down from generation-to-generation as you know how involved my brother-in-law is with it. Best wishes and regards. Marcia

(27)
Catherine lentz,
January 28, 2005 12:00 AM

It is vital to remember the holocaust.

The Article by Rabbi Feldman is of utmost importance. If everyone in America would read this article,it would be a light to their hearts on the importance of remembering a time of great suffering and darkness in the precious lives of over 6 million jewish people. i am dedicated to promoting the cause of Israel as a nation to everyone I come into contact with and will teach my grandchildren about the holocaust. We will not forget.

(26)
Mario Georgalas,
January 28, 2005 12:00 AM

To Remember Always

To not remember is to run the risk of repeating. To not only remember but to educate. I fear as we forget, the young will sink to the lows and commit the same atrocities without remorse. I am Roman Catholic and welcome all into my heart. I cannot understand and will never agree to the hating of the Jewish people nor of any people for that matter. I believe it to be complete ignorance. I am 39 and my heart aches whenever I see anything about the Holocaust. We are all one under G-d.

(25)
A.N.G.JOSE,
January 28, 2005 12:00 AM

JEWISH POTENTIAL

WE, HUMANS ARE NOTING WHEN COMPARE THE MANY POTENTIALS OF OUR CREATRE G-D, IT IS A FACT.
AND THE IMMENCE POTENTIAL OF JEWISH PEOPLE ARE ONE AMONG THEM.

(24)
dd,
January 27, 2005 12:00 AM

why forget?

The same question could be asked about slavery and why do black people still hold to it tightly? same reason; the world should never forget it. Should never forget the cruelty, the pain, the loss. When a family memmeber dies, they do nto become forgotten, there is always a rememberence. Jews, blacks, vietnam, all who have died should be remember always. That this event(s) should never happen again. 911 should never be forgotten. No matter how small or huge the tragedy was, or which group of people suffered, never forget for all of us are created by the SAME GOD, all of us in way or another are connected. Cry with them, love with them, laugh with them, carry eachother burdens, that's pure and undifiled religion...jews or non. people are people and no one deserve that kind of hatred and killing and persecution. NO ONE

(23)
Menashe Kaltmann,
January 27, 2005 12:00 AM

The Need to Remember

Thank you again aish.com and Rabbi Feldman for a timely article. It is especially timely considering it is now 60 year from the liberation of the infamous Nazi concentration/killing camp of Aushwitz.

(My Great grandmother of Blessed Memory was sent to Aushwitz and killed in 1942 in the first roundup/expulsion of Jews from Bratislava then called Czechoslovakia, now Slovakia.)

There is a real need to remember to continue to remember THe Shoah. This is especially relevant when we see the disgraceful behaviour of Prince Harry of England the 3rd in line to The British Throne.
Prince Harry's terrible actions be dressing up as a Nazi at a costume party and then offering a lame apology "if I have offended anyone I am sorry" shows that we need to continue to remember and educate the next generations of what happened.
The Prince and many others have forgotten the terrible sufferings that Jews and others went through in World War 2. To make light of people's sufferings is an outrage.

(22)
Margy Stoner,
January 27, 2005 12:00 AM

I often find it difficult, living in such a secular society, to attatch my present status as a Jew to our long past as a people. This article, though, was able to sum up my basic feelings about the strong bond I feel towards my people. When talking to my friends, even Jewish friends, I bring up my people's past every occasion I get and I think that my friends are often annoyed by my continuous repetition. But after reading this article I know why I speak of the destruction of my people so often and why it is so important to do so.

(21)
Anonymous,
January 27, 2005 12:00 AM

PM Sharon’s Speech at the Knesset Special Session Marking the Struggle Against Anti-Semitism

For the second year, we mark the day commemorating the State of Israel’s struggle against anti-Semitism. We chose to mark this day of struggle against anti-Semitism on the day of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp that horrible symbol of the Holocaust.

The allies knew of the annihilation of the Jews. They knew and did nothing. On April 19, 1943, the Bermuda Conference gathered, with the participation of representatives from Britain and the United States in order to discuss saving the Jews of Europe. In fact, the participants did everything in their power to avoid dealing with the problem. All the suggestions for rescue operations which the Jewish organizations presented were rejected. They simply did not want to deal with it.

The Bermuda Conference was nothing more than a continuation of the shocking story of the “Ship of the Damned” – the Saint Louis – which set sail from Germany in 1939 with 1,000 Jews who succeeded in escaping from the Third Reich on board. The passengers knocked on the doors of Cuba and ports in the eastern United States, but were refused sanctuary and were forced to return to the shores of Europe. Most of them were murdered in the death camps.

The leadership of the British Mandate displayed the same obtuseness and insensitivity by locking the gates to Israel to Jewish refugees who sought a haven in the Land of Israel. Thus were rejected the requests of the 769 passengers of the ship “Struma” who escaped from Europe – and all but one [of the passengers] found their death at sea.

Throughout the war, nothing was done to stop the annihilation [of the Jewish people]. When, in the summer of 1944, the mass deportations in Hungary were carried out, the allies did not bomb the train tracks which led to Auschwitz from Hungary, nor the murder facilities in Birkenau, and this was despite the fact that they had the ability to do so. Allied planes attacked targets near Auschwitz, but they refused to bomb the camp itself, in which 10,000 Jews were murdered daily. Thus were 618,000 Jews annihilated in a number of weeks – the Jews of Hungary.

Mr. Speaker, the sad and horrible conclusion is that no one cared that Jews were being murdered.

“Do not put your trust in men in power” – said the poet of the Psalms – and, indeed, during the most terrible critical hour, those in power, and the declared friends did not lift a finger. This is the Jewish lesson of the Holocaust – and this is the lesson which Auschwitz taught us, the enchained people.

The State of Israel learned this lesson – and since its establishment, it has done its utmost to defend itself and its citizens, and provide a safe haven for any Jew, wherever he may be. We know that we can trust no one but ourselves.

This phenomenon – of Jews defending themselves and fighting back – is an anathema in the side of the new anti-Semites. Legitimate steps of self-defense which Israel takes in its war against Palestinian terror – actions which any sovereign state is obligated to undertake to ensure the security of its citizens – are presented by those who hate Israel as aggressive, Nazi-like steps.

Many of the manifestations of anti-Semitism in the past years are no longer aimed only at Jews as individuals. Rather, they are aimed at the embodiment of all Jews – the State of Israel, the Jewish state. As early as 1967, in “A Letter to an Anti-Zionist Friend”, Dr. Martin Luther King wrote that anti-Zionism is no less than disguised anti-Semitism.

I quote: “The times have made it unpopular, in the West, to proclaim openly a hatred of the Jews. This being the case, the antisemite must constantly seek new forms and forums for his poison… He does not hate the Jews, he is just ‘anti-Zionist’! My friend… when people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews – make no mistake about it.”

These days, the generation which was witness to the horrors is disappearing, and ignorance is increasing. Fewer people around the world have heard of the Holocaust or are aware of what happened in Auschwitz, and the manifestations of anti-Semitism are on the rise. 60 years after the liberation of Auschwitz – the evil which gave rise to the horror still exists – and still threatens us.

Israel stands with governments, as well as Jewish and international organizations around the world which remember Auschwitz and are determined to fight this evil uncompromisingly and relentlessly.

We will continue to act tirelessly in order to ensure that the memory of Auschwitz and the lessons of the Holocaust will not be forgotten, so that Auschwitz will never again return.

Israel is a very small country, blessed with talented and courageous people. However, it must always be remembered that this is the only place in the world where we, the Jews, have the right and the capability to defend ourselves, by ourselves. And we will never relinquish this.

It is our historic responsibility. It is my personal historic responsibility".

(20)
justine,
May 12, 2004 12:00 AM

its real

some people act like the holocaust never happend they act like it was all mad up and they dont care they dont relise that all those inisint jews died!!they dont relise that all of that was real,but if they were jewish maybe they would think more about it what if the germans were being put in concentration camps and being murdered??would they all care then??

(19)
Chaim B. Colen, M.D.,
April 26, 2004 12:00 AM

Crucial moments

Rabbi Feldman makes a succinct statement relevant to today's society. When we are born we have a clean slate. Goodness must be engraved in order that instinct doesn't take habit.
Chaim B. Colen, M.D.

(18)
Cathie Campbell,
April 23, 2004 12:00 AM

Excellent summary of "why memory?"

I thought your article outstanding and appreciate so much the chance to read and relate Jewishly on Shabbos from a small southern town in Georgia, USA. The degree of cultural sophistication is admittedly never an indicator of ethical interaction. It is a beautiful
choice to conclude "The Jew represents a different scale of values in the universe and a constant and formidable challenge to the dominion of evil."

(17)
Steven,
April 22, 2004 12:00 AM

Yes we must remember it!!!

My grandfather was killed by the germans in 1945 after years of hiding in barn houses and forests with my grandmother and my mom. I had a chance to see Aushwitz and Majdanek which makes one feel even stronger about history that repeats so often.

(16)
Johnathon,
April 22, 2004 12:00 AM

NEVER FORGET !

This is a lesson that should be compulsory in ALL schools all over the world. I am English and a Catholic, and believe most fervently that the atrocities committed in the Concentration Camps should be taught to all children. They should all be taught to ensure that we do not let these things happen again....be it Jews, Catholics, Blacks, Muslims, Chinese etc. There is no excuse, and recent events in Rwanda and Bosnia/Serbia reiterate the need to reinforce these lessons to our children.

(15)
Amanda,
April 22, 2004 12:00 AM

i really enjoyed it

cool website

(14)
joel,
April 21, 2004 12:00 AM

WE CANT, AND WE WONT FORGET!!

we cannon forget what the germans did to us. did the people of jerusalem forget how the romans destroyed the beit hamigdash? no. so we must never forget the holocaust.

(13)
Anonymous,
April 19, 2004 12:00 AM

We must never forget.

We must never forget that pain that has befallen our people because when we do we will lose sight of how far we have come. It's not the destination, it's the journey to use an old cliche. This article has really inspired me to not only remember what our people have endured but to celebrate it. What other group of people who have been through such hardships are still flourishing?

(12)
dean,
April 19, 2004 12:00 AM

yes

(11)
Adam Neira,
April 19, 2004 12:00 AM

The Divine Nature of Existence

The author writes "Man is not born good..."

He is wrong 100% !

The fact is that we are all born pure, innocent and free. Just because the vast majority of humankind cannnot perceive the divine nature of existence that comes when one has a childlike quality, does not mean that it doesn't exist.

(10)
Elizabeth Weber Handwerker,
April 19, 2004 12:00 AM

Not all evil is directed at us

A powerful article, but I am troubled by one of the things you write. You write "whenever we find great evil in the world, it is invariably directed against the Jewish people. The worst tyrants in history have one goal in common: to destroy the Jews."

This is simply not true. Of the millions murdered by Mao, how many were Jews? When the Armenians were driven into the desert, how many among those hundreds of thousands were Jews? When evil took hold in Rwanda, how many Jews were among its millions of targets?

We must not take from the Holocaust the lesson to be ever-vigilant against Anti-Semitism without also taking the lesson to be ever-vigilant against other forms of baseless hatred as well.

And we must not beleive that other nations are somehow immune to such evil.

(9)
Judy,
April 19, 2004 12:00 AM

Reply to Adam Neira

Rabbi Feldman was actually quoting our sages when he said "Man is not born good...", which tells us that he can't be 'wrong 100%'. In addition, I believe it was Reb Elimelech from Lizensk z"l that said "adam le'umol yilad", (man was born to toil), which implies that man is not born all good. Our job in this lifetime is to work on our shortcomings.

(8)
Anonymous,
April 19, 2004 12:00 AM

Response to Adam Neira

Man is born pure (not with "original sin") but not GOOD. Purity and goodness are two different things, not to be confused. Goodness is the quality of making positive life choices; babies cannot make "good" choices, only "true" (/"pure") choices, following instinct. Goodness has to be worked at, it's not instinctive.

(7)
Ray,
April 19, 2004 12:00 AM

the midrashim say King Saul was so pure and free of sin that his face at age 30 had the innocence of the face of a 1 year old.
I have my 2nd child who is now 1 year old. That look of innocence doesn't last long. After 6 months it's gone.
(read from my favorite english book of all time - Reb Mendel and his wisdom artscroll)
I think a 1 year old is spiritually perfect since he has no real ego yet. Afterwards, he goes towards the terrible 2's and ego creeps into his heart.

(6)
Bill Philippi,
April 19, 2004 12:00 AM

Yes, the Holocaust matters

I am not jewish but Christain. However, I think it is a shame that the Holocaust has to be part of our world's history but it is. I have never been able to understand how people were so blinded to not see how wrong they were to kill millions of innocent people, Jewish and others.

The main thing though, that concerns me, is there are still those that would do it again, today, if only they had the chance but this time the list would include so many more people. When people forget, or overlook, the crimes of the past they are asking for them to be repeated. How sad. I do support Isreal's right to exist as a nation and mourn when it is challenged by those that speak with hate rooted in their hearts.

(5)
Sam Addeo,
April 18, 2004 12:00 AM

Jewish Bias Tolerated

I was just in a discussion room on the Net and some person decided to tell a joke in which Jews were compared to Pizza in an oven. I was upset with the joke but the general discussion that followed was even more disturbing. While some called it "off-color" must still found it amusing. I have spoken to some of these people and would not consider them hateful, but apparently I misjudged them. The nicest comment was "Oh I wouldn't repeat it but it is funny." Is it lack of understanding about the holocaust or just a general Jewish bias.

(4)
Ray Saperstein,
April 18, 2004 12:00 AM

Our shortcoming

As with the entire body of work that Rabbi Feldman has created, this one too is excellent. My comment is geared to everyone. When we as Jews remember the Holocaust, and it's tag line "never again", it often seems to me that it only has meaning if we include victims of genocide wherever it happens. With the entire alphabet of Jewish organizations, how many have lifted a voice against genocide in the African countries? I remember having a conversation with my father many years ago on a day that the New York Post reported on the mass killings in Cambodia. My father was president of the National Council of Young Israel at the time. I begged him to take a public stand in the name of Young Israel and speak out against these mass killings which may have numbered in the millions. The next day he called me and told me that he had talked it over with other leaders of Young Israel and they basically said that they have enough to do with our own people, and couldn't worry about others. To his credit, my father wrote letters to New York newspapers in which he identified himself as the President of National Council of Young Israel. Can't the entire organized Jewish community create an office whose function is to issue a press release in the name of the Jewish community denouncing genocide whenever or wherever it happens?

(3)
Rex S. Rambo,
April 18, 2004 12:00 AM

Crystal clearly shows why remembering the Holocust still matters

Rabbi Feldman graphically depicts what happens when a culturally advanced society remains silent when a minority of fierce haters take over their country. It can happen again if the Holocaust is forgotten. I vow that I shall not reamain silent, and we all should make that same vow.

(2)
Anna,
April 18, 2004 12:00 AM

Important to remember

Thank you for this article. It is so important that we view current events also in the light of the Holocaust. It is not impossible for such an event to occur again. We must all do our part to combat discrimination and hatred wherever we are.

(1)
Celina fein,
April 18, 2004 12:00 AM

To remember the Holocaust

This is the most logical, informative article explaining the reasons why the Holocaust has to be remembered. I will share it with my family and friends. Thank you very much Celina

I've been striving to get more into spirituality. But it seems that every time I make some progress, I find myself slipping right back to where I started. I'm getting discouraged and feel like a failure. Can you help?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Spiritual slumps are a natural part of spiritual growth. There is a cycle that people go through when at times they feel closer to God and at times more distant. In the words of the Kabbalists, it is "two steps forward and one step back." So although you feel you are slipping, know that this is a natural process. The main thing is to look at your overall progress (over months or years) and be able to see how far you've come!

This is actually God's ingenious way of motivating us further. The sages compare this to teaching a baby how to walk. When the parent is holding on, the baby shrieks with delight and is under the illusion that he knows how to walk. Yet suddenly, when the parent lets go, the child panics, wobbles and may even fall.

At such times when we feel spiritually "down," that is often because God is letting go, giving us the great gift of independence. In some ways, these are the times when we can actually grow the most. For if we can move ourselves just a little bit forward, we truly acquire a level of sanctity that is ours forever.

Here is a practical tool to help pull you out of the doldrums. The Sefer HaChinuch speaks about a great principle in spiritual growth: "The external awakens the internal." This means that although we may not experience immediate feelings of closeness to God, eventually, by continuing to conduct ourselves in such a manner, this physical behavior will have an impact on our spiritual selves and will help us succeed. (A similar idea is discussed by psychologists who say: "Smile and you will feel happy.")

That is the power of Torah commandments. Even if we may not feel like giving charity or praying at this particular moment, by having a "mitzvah" obligation to do so, we are in a framework to become inspired. At that point we can infuse that act of charity or prayer with all the meaning and lift it can provide. But if we'd wait until being inspired, we might be waiting a very long time.

May the Almighty bless you with the clarity to see your progress, and may you do so with joy.

In 1940, a boatload 1,600 Jewish immigrants fleeing Hitler's ovens was denied entry into the port of Haifa; the British deported them to the island of Mauritius. At the time, the British had acceded to Arab demands and restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine. The urgent plight of European Jewry generated an "illegal" immigration movement, but the British were vigilant in denying entry. Some ships, such as the Struma, sunk and their hundreds of passengers killed.

If you seize too much, you are left with nothing. If you take less, you may retain it (Rosh Hashanah 4b).

Sometimes our appetites are insatiable; more accurately, we act as though they were insatiable. The Midrash states that a person may never be satisfied. "If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he gets two hundred, he wants four hundred" (Koheles Rabbah 1:34). How often have we seen people whose insatiable desire for material wealth resulted in their losing everything, much like the gambler whose constant urge to win results in total loss.

People's bodies are finite, and their actual needs are limited. The endless pursuit for more wealth than they can use is nothing more than an elusive belief that they can live forever (Psalms 49:10).

The one part of us which is indeed infinite is our neshamah (soul), which, being of Divine origin, can crave and achieve infinity and eternity, and such craving is characteristic of spiritual growth.

How strange that we tend to give the body much more than it can possibly handle, and the neshamah so much less than it needs!